This book has been produced with the aim of stimulating the general naturalist to take a closer look at the bumps and lumps that make up the fascinating world of plant galls. Induced by a variety of insects and other organisms and ranging from tiny pimples to bizarre and often very attractive and exquisitely sculptured growths, plant galls are mystery to many people, but they offer a fascinating field of study for both botanists and zoologists. Galls can be found on a very wide range of both woody and herbaceous plants, with over 50 different kinds occurring on Britain's oak trees alone, and there is still much to be learned about even the commonest examples. An introduction to the nature of plant galls and their formation Brief descriptions of some of the organisms that cause or induce galls Superb photographs of just over 200 of the commonest or most conspicuous of Britain's 1,000 or so plant galls, arranged according to their host plants to aid field identification Descriptions of these galls and the life histories of the organisms that cause them

A much-needed new study on plant galls growths on plants formed of plant tissue that are caused by other organisms. Most naturalists have come across oak apples, robin s pincushions, marble galls and witches brooms, a few of the more familiar examples of the strange growths that are plant galls. They are beautiful, often bizarre and colourful, and amazingly diverse in structure and in the organisms which cause them. They have been known since ancient times and have attracted superstitions and folk customs. Both the ancient Greeks and the Chinese used them in herbal medicine, and until well into the nineteenth century, they had a variety of commercial uses: important for dyeing cloth, tanning leather and for making ink. Knowledge of gall types increased during the late nineteenth century and throughout the twentieth century as more species were described and their structure became more clearly understood, and yet even today, little is known about the mechanisms that cause gall formation as well as the life cycles of the organisms that initiate gall growth. Since most galls do not cause any economic damage to crop plants, research funding has traditionally been sparse in this area. However, the insect cycles and gall structures are amazing examples of the complexity of nature. Margaret Redfern explores these fascinating complexities in this latest New Naturalist volume, providing much-needed insight into the variety of galls of different types caused by a wide range of organisms including fungi, insects and mites. She discusses the ecology of galls more generally and focuses on communities of organisms within galls, the evolution and distribution of galls, as well as human and historical perspectives."

A photographic guide to 536 species of plant galls found west of the Rockies Beautiful and bizarre, plant galls are growths of various shapes, sizes, and colors produced in response to invading organisms. Describing 536 species of galls and their causative agents, Plant Galls of the Western United States explores this unique realm with stunning photos and fascinating information about the life cycles of the organisms involved. Often species-specific, plant galls can be shaped like stars, baskets, clubs, wigs, bowls, and cups, with colors and combinations that stagger the imagination. This richly illustrated field guide examines how galls develop, and their uses, seasonal appearance and growth rate, predators, and defense mechanisms. The “architects” of galls—bacteria, fungi, mites, moths, beetles, flies, midges, and wasps—are explored in depth, and descriptions are paired with illustrations of these gall-inducing organisms and their typical galls. Gall accounts are divided into those that occur on trees, shrubs, and miscellaneous hosts, including native and ornamental plants. The guide contains a useful glossary and a bibliography. Features 536 gall species—including 120 new to science and 232 that have never appeared in a field guide before Examines for the first time more than 90 species from southwestern oak trees Contains more than 150 species from most of the deserts of the western states

However, the insect cycles and gall structures are amazing examples of the complexity of nature.

An accessible, comprehensive and beautifully illustrated guide--the only one to cover all the orchids found in Britain and Ireland Covering more than fifty species as well as hybrids and variants, this is an engaging, intuitive and in-depth identification guide to all the orchids of Britain and Ireland at all stages of development, from first emergence through to setting seed. Drawing on the authors' extensive field experience and the latest scientific research, Britain's Orchids uses multiple techniques to help both beginner and more advanced orchid enthusiasts to identify even the trickiest plants. The book is beautifully illustrated with plates by talented artist Sarah Stribbling as well as more than 1,000 detailed, instructive and evocative photographs by the authors. Orchids have long fired the imagination with their beauty and rarity. This book aims to ignite or increase your passion for these special plants and for the conservation of their habitats, from remote mountaintops to urban wild spaces. The first book to cover all the species, subspecies and varieties, as well as hybrids, at all stages of development Lavishly illustrated with close to 100 stunning plates drawn to scale to show key identification features and more than 1,000 stunning photo showing orchids in their natural settings Simple, step-by-step system for identifying almost any orchid Up-to-date distribution maps and seasonal charts showing when each species can be seen in its various stages Special-feature identification keys that can be used on difficult plants

This book is based on Herbert Buhr's seminal keys of 1964-1965 (Bestimmungstabellen der Gallen (Zoo- und Phytocecidien) an Pflanzen Mittel- und Nordeuropas) and augmented with Houard's 1908-1913 work on Southern Europe (Les Zoocécidies des Plantes d'Europe et du Bassin de la Méditerranée). The authors have updated this with the research of a new generation of cecidologists, significantly expanding our knowledge of plant galls and their distribution. The 9,000 galls and malformations described by Buhr and Houard have been updated and 1,250 new galls described in more recent literature have been added. The nomenclature of both gall inducers and host plants has been updated, information about specific groups of gall inducers has been reviewed, and new insights have been added by a team of specialists. Moreover, they collected distribution data for the whole of Europe and, where available, adjacent areas.